WPIAL Wonders
PITTSBURGH — One year ago, the Seneca Valley girls soccer team endured the agony of defeat while Peters Township celebrated a WPIAL title.
The roles were reversed Friday night at Highmark Stadium.
Caroline Miller struck a header into the net off an Alicia Hart corner kick with 3:07 remaining and lifted the Raiders to a 1-0 win over Peters Township in the WPIAL Class AAA girls soccer championship.
“It's amazing, getting revenge on them from last year is just a great feeling,” said Miller. “I can't even explain it.”
It is the program's third district title in the past seven years and first since 2009. Seneca Valley will play Bethel Park — the WPIAL consolation winner — in the first round of the PIAA playoffs on Tuesday at a time and site to be determined.
Seneca Valley dictated the pace of play throughout Friday's second half and eventually capitalized with Miller's goal.
Hart knew the corner kick was a golden opportunity.
“I was a little nervous because I knew it needed to be a good one. I felt that one of them was eventually going to go in,” said Hart. “We had so many chances up there and as I went to go take the corner, I just knew I had to hit it right where I wanted to. Thankfully, someone was there to get a head on it and score.”
Miller was positioned on the far post and connected solidly from point-blank range, leaving Peters Township goalie Megan Parker helpless.
“Alicia has the best corner kicks out there,” said Miller. “She places it in the same spot almost every time. I just hope to get my head on it as best I can.”
Miller was quickly mobbed by her teammates following the score.
“It was amazing. ... I was in shock,” said Miller. “It was a team effort and I'm just happy that we got it.”
“It was the most excited I've ever been,” said Hart.
Defending champion Peters Township was seeking its third WPIAL crown in four years. The Indians edged Seneca Valley 2-1 in double overtime on a corner kick in last season's title game.
Seneca Valley junior goalkeeper Jess Neill remembers the bitter taste of defeat.
“It's hard losing because you look at the winning team and they're celebrating and it feels like you just lost the biggest game of your life,” said Neill, who recorded seven saves for the shutout on Friday. “It feels good to win it this year.”
Peters Township (16-5-1) tested Neill early with consistent pressure around the net.The Indians' best chance came less than 10 minutes into the match when Carly Johns took a header off a corner kick about 5 yards in front of the net, but Neill was positioned well and kept it scoreless.“That was really nerve-racking, but it gets me into the game more,” said Neill. “It's better for me because I get in the game right away and it keeps my head in it and I feel like I play better.”The Raiders (18-2-1) began to swing momentum at the midway point of the first half and took complete control over the final 40 minutes.“They've had experience on a big field like this, so I'm sure they were able to prepare a little bit better than us,” said Seneca Valley coach Dave Sylvester. “We like to use our speed and get wide, and with the formation we were playing, they were killing us in the midfield.”At halftime, the Raiders made a key adjustment — Sylvester wanted to “shrink the field.”“They're playing in tight and when they gain possession, now they're looking to get wide,” Sylvester said of Peters Township. “We're staying wide right off the get-go and we're not gaining any possession. We switched at halftime and I thought we did a much better job. We had a lot of good chances.”The Raiders ended up with a 15-13 edge in total shots after trailing 9-5 in the category at halftime. Peters Township led in shots on goal by a 7-6 margin, while Seneca owned a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks.“There's a reason they were the No. 1 seed,” said Peters Township coach Pat Vereb of the Raiders. “They're very athletic and strong and physical.“They just pressed and just wore us out, basically. We struggled to get out of our end,” he added. “You continue to give up corner kicks and throw-ins — and they're dangerous on both — eventually it can haunt you.”Such an opportunity haunted Seneca Valley last season, but the Raiders lived the dream on Friday.“I had tears in my eyes,” said Sylvester. “I always do. I get emotional with every team I have. They know that if I get emotional and I cry, it doesn't even faze them because that's who I am. I think that's why we play the way we do — because we all feel it.“I'm so happy for them. You have no idea.”
